Railway track switch controlling apparatus



Jan. 21, 1936. I A w HSHER RAILWAY TRACK SWITCH CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1935 mvNToR Arthur LUFisher' HIS ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 21, 1936 I 7 2,02 539 UNITED STATES PATENT ore-roe RAILWAY TRACK SWITCH CONTROLLING APPARATUS Arthur WpFisherJForest Hills, Pa,, assignor-to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March .15, 1935, :Serial. No.,1;1,298

4 Claims. (01. 246-219) My invention relates to railway track switch 9. A'second resistor :l4,is connected across the controlling apparatus, and particularly to apwinding of relay R, through contacts of relays paratus of the type involving a polarized relay P, V and T, in order to make relay R slow in recontrolled by a manually, operable lever or other leasing if its controlcircuitbecomes opened while suitable device, under given trafiic conditions, the front contacts of relays P, V and T are closed.

which relay in turn causes movements of the If any-one of therelays P, V-and T becomesdeswitch to normal and reverse positions. energized, relay R will release quickly.

One feature of my invention is the provision of Approach or stick locking relay: P may be cona novel and improved arrangement for the control trolled in any suitable manner such, for example,

of the polarized re1ay,.and also of a neutral relay, as shown for relay L in .a Patent No. 1,956,851, 10 by the manually operable device, underithe .given which was ,granted;May l, 1934, to C, ,A..-l 3rooks trafiic conditions, which neutral relay in turn and J. M. Pelikan, for Railway traflic controlling controls, in part, the polarized relay. My invenapparatus. The manner in which-relay? iscontion is an improvement upon the apparatus distrolled prevents an operator or leverman from closed and claimed in a co-pending application, changing the position of switch H untila rneas- 15 Serial No. 695294, for Interlocking control apured period of time has elapsed aftersignal shas paratus, filed October 26, 1933, by EarlM Allen been caused to indicate fstopfidf aneastbound and Howard A. Thompson. train has entered section. B-C while signal S is I will describe one form of apparatus embodi indicating caution r eed.

,;g0 ing my invention, and will then point out .the Route locking re y V15 i on ma t .20

novel features thereof in claims. times switch H cannot be operated while ,an

The accompanying drawing isa diagrammatic eastbound, train 0 p S Q view, showing one form of apparatus embodying Normal and reverse switch lever, repeater remy invention. lays IV and g are controlled by aswitch lever-des- ,z5 Referring to the drawing, the reference chariena ed y the r f en ech rac erk. acters l and l designate the track rails of a e I' k hasia IIOImBJlJOE-MOII d; el e fie stretch of railway track Y which is divided by inp t o Lever k p t a n 1 1 6 sulated joints 2 into sections B-C, C-D and 4 which, when lever kismoved to its nposition in DE. Each of these sections is provided with a which it is shown in the drawin mpl tes a .30 track circuit, such for example as is shown for circuit for energiz l y L and which, when section DE, comprising a battery, designated er k s oved to its 1" position, -completes acirby the reference character 3, connected across cuit for energi ing' y the rails adjacent one end of the section, and a I will now trace the operationpf the form pi relay, designated by the reference character T, p u odying mylnvention, which is connected across the rails adjacent the opposite shown in the accompa y -d awing. 5 end of the section. ,As shown in the drawing, all ,parts ,are inthe Located in section DE is a switch H for connormal condition, thatis, track relay T is enernecting track Y with a second track Z. Switch giZBd; Switch level 7615 in its UP P W tChBS H is operated by a suitable switch mechanism M. H and H are in the normal pofi t on; nal S .40 In section CD there is a similar switch H is indicating bOl r y tfi B, -P v and V are 40 At point C, a signal S is shown for controlling energized; and .relay g is deenergized. eastbound traffic movements, that is, traffic move- With lever k in the normalpos t on relay 1 ments from left to right, as shown in the drawin is energized by its pick-up circuit rrom over switches H and H V terminala: of a suitable source of currentnot Switch mechanism M is controlled by neutra shown in e d w through Co ct m mbe 4.5 contacts 24, 21, and by polar contacts 25, 26 of a 4 o VeI' 70 n its n p0sition,and the -windingj of polarized switch control relay m. relay f to terminal 0 of the same, source of our- Relay m is controlled by a neutral lock relay 3, rent. .A stick circuit is also .closed.,for relay i, an approach or stick locking relay P, a route lockpassing from terminal :0, through, contact 5 of ing relay V, track relay T, and normal and reverse relay 9. on a 6 of relay f, and-lghe Winding of 50 switch lever repeater relays and g, respectively. relay f toterminal 0.

A resistor I6 is connected across the winding of With relays .-P, V, T andf energizedand with relay m in order to make relay m slow in releasing relaym energized by acircuit which will be traced when its control circuit is opened. .hereinaftenrelay R is energized bya circuit pass- .55 R y R s c r e b r y ml. 11 1.1 an .ine. imm, ,wlthr u hthe ri pnt pq ntp es normal position to terminal 0.

With relays R, P, V, T and f energized, relay m is energized by current of normal polarity passing from terminal a, by the path previously traced for the circuit for relay R as far as contact II of relay P, thence passing through the front point of contact I5 of relay R, winding of relay m, front point of contact I? of relay R, contact I8 of relay P, contact I9 of relay V, contact of relay T, back point of contact 2I-v of relay 9, and the front point of contact 22 of relay ,2 to terminal o.

With relay m energized by current of normal polarity, contacts and 26 of relay m are closed in their normal position, and contacts 24 and 27 of relay m are also closed. in a circuit for causing mechanism M to operate switch H to its normal position.

I will assume that, with all parts of the apparatus thus in the normal condition, the leverman desires to reverse switch H He will therefore move lever is to its reverse position r, thereby completing a pick-up circuit for energizing reverse lever repeater relay g, this circuit passing from terminal .r, through contact member A of lever 7c in the 1' position, and the winding of relay g to terminal 0. Relay 9, upon becoming energized, opens its contact 5, thereby breaking the stick circuit for relay 1 which is thus deenergized. Relay 1, upon becoming deenergized, permits its contact 5 to close and thereby complete a stick circuit for relay g passing from terminal r, through contact 5 of relay 1, contact 6 of relay g, and the winding of relay y to terminal 0.

During the interval between the opening of contact 8 of relay g at its back point, and the closing of contact 22 of relay 1 at its back point, the circuits, for relays m and R are open. Also, during this intervaLthe winding of relay R is included in a shunt path passing from the righthand terminal of relay R, as shown in the drawing, through resistor I4, contact 9 of relay T, con tact ID of relay V, contact II of relay P, and the winding of relay R. On account of this path being closed, relay R is slow enough in releasing to retain its contacts I5 and I I closed at their front points during this interval.

The front contacts of relay m may, however, open during this interval at the end of which a reverse energizing circuit will be closed for relay m, passing from terminal as, through the back point of contact I of relay 1, front point of contact 2| of relay g, contact 20 of relay T, contact I9 of relay V, contact I8 of relay P, front point of contact I1 of relay R, Winding of relay m, front point of contact I5 of relay R, contact I I of relay P, contact II] of relay V, contact 9 of relay T, front point of contact 8 of relay 9', and the back point of contact 22 of relay to terminal 0.

The different parts of the apparatus are so designed that relay R not only bridges the interval between the opening of the back point of contact 8 of relay g and the closing of the back point of contact 22 of relay ,1, but that it also bridges the further interval until contact I3 of relay m is closed in its reverse position and contact I2 of relay m is again closed. A reverse energizing circuit will then be completed for relay R, which, on account of the current flowing through the winding of relay R in the opposite direction from the current in the previous circuit for relay R, causes relay R to open its contacts at the front points and then again quickly close them. This circuit passes from terminal a:, through contact I 3 of relay m in the reverse position, contact I2 of relay in, winding of relay R, contact II of relay P, contact IU of relay V, contact 9 of relay T, front point of contact 8 of relay q, and the back point of contact 22 of relay 1 to terminal 0.

On account of resistor It being connected across the winding of relay m, this relay is slow enough in releasing to bridge the open circuit period of contacts I5 and I? when the reverse energizing circuit is closed for relay R.

With relay m energized in the reverse direction, a circuit will now be completed for mechanism M, passing from terminal a:, through contact 26 of relay m, contact 25 of' relay m in the reverse position, mechanism M, contact 26 of relay m in the reverse position, and. contact 2"! of relay m to terminal 0. Mechanism M will therefore move switch H to its reverse position.

When the leverman desires to return switch H to the normal position, he will return lever it from its 1 to its n position, causing relay to again become energized by its pick-up circuit previously traced. Relay upon becoming energized, opens its contact 5, thereby breaking the stick circuit previously traced for relay 9. The operation of the apparatus for causing mechanism M to return switch H to its normal position can be readily understood in view of the foregoing description of the operation of the apparatus for causing mechanism M to move switch H to its reverse position,

I will next assume that, with all parts of the apparatus again in the normal condition, the leverman clears signal S for an eastbound tralfic movement over switches H and H The clearing of signal S causes locking relay P to be deenergized.

Relay P, upon becoming deenergized, permits its contact II to open, thereby breaking the circuit first traced for relay R. The shunt path previously traced through resistor M is now open at contact II of relay P, and hence relay R permits its contacts I5 and I I to open quickly at the front points and close at the back points.

On account of resistor It being connected across the winding of relay 'm, relay m will be slow enough in releasing to bridge the open circuit period between the opening of contacts i5 and I! at their front points and the closing of these contacts at their back points, and hence front contacts i2, 24 and 27 of relay m will not open during this interval. At the conclusion of this interval, a stick circuit for relay m will be closed, passing from terminal :12, through contact 23 of relay m in its normal position, back point of contact I5 of relay R, winding of relay m, back point of contact I? of relay R, and contact I3 of relay m in its normal position to terminal 0. Relay m, being now energized by current of the same polarityas before, will retain its neutral contacts closed, and will keep its polar contacts closed in the same positions as before.

I will further assume that an eastbound train now enters section 13-0, and afterward proceeds into section CD, and then into section DE. While the train is in section C-D, relay V will be deenergized, and while the train is in section D--E, relay T will be deenergized. From an inspection of the drawing, it will be noted that as long as any one of the relays P, V, and T is deenergized, both circuits previously traced for relay Rwill be open, and hence relay m will continue energized by thestick circuit previously traced.

' I will now assume that while any one of the relays P, V and T is deenergized, the leverman, by mistake, attempts to reverseswitch H by moving lever k to its 1' position. As previously stated, relay R cannot become energized as long as anyone of the relays P, V and 'I is deenergized.

Iwill further assume that the le vermanpermits lever is to remain in its 1' position, and that whilelever 1c is in its T position, such of the relays P, V and T as are deenergized again become energized. With relay g energized, and with relay 1 deenergized on account of lever is being in its 1 position, the winding of relay R will now be included in a closed path which is the same as the second circuit traced for relay R except that, instead of passing from terminal r, through contact 13 of relay m in its reverse position, this path includes contact 13 of relay m in its normal position, and hence both ends of the path are connected to terminal 0 and relay R will not become energized.

In order to energize relay R, the leverman must return lever k: to its 1L position, thereby causing relay 1 to again become energized and to complete the circuit first traced for relay R. When relay R has thus been energized, the leverman can reverse switch H by the procedure previously described.

It follows that any change in the position of lever is while any one of the relays P, V and T is deenergized, will be ineffective to cause an operation of switch H after all of the relays P, V and T are again energized. In other words, control by lever it while any one of the relays P, V and T is deenergized, cannot be stored for causing an operation of switch 1-1 when all of the relays P, V and T are again energized.

From a consideration of the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing, it follows that, in apparatus embodying my invention, a neutral lock relay R and a polarized switch control relay m are controlled, under given traflic conditions, by normal and reverse manually controlled contacts; each of the relays m and R is controlled by a front contact of the other; relay m is also controlled at times by back contacts of relay R; relay R is arranged to be slow-releasing if it becomes deenergized under the given traffic conditions, but is quick-releasing if it becomes deenergized under other traffic conditions; and relay m is arranged to be slow-releasing at all times. On account of relay R being controlled by a polar contact of relay m, the apparatus does not permit the storage of switch control.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of railway track switch controlling apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a railway track switch, a

polarized relay having a neutral contact as well as polar contacts, a neutral relay, a trafiic contact controlled by traffic conditions and arranged to be closed only when said trafiic conditions are suitable for said switch to be moved from one of its extreme positions to the other, normal and reverse manually controllable contacts, a source of current, a normal circuit including said traffic contact and said source of current and controlled by said normal manually controllable contact as well as by said neutral contact and a normal polar contact of said polarized relay for V polarity, a resistor, a shunt path for the winding of said neutral relay including said resistor and said trafiic contact, normal and reverse pickup circlits for said polarized relay including said normal or reverse manually controllable contacts respectively and said trafic contact as Well as said source of current and controlled by a front contact of said neutral relay, normal and reverse stick circuits for said polarized relay including one of its own normal or reverse polar contacts respectively and controlled by a back contact of said neutral relay, a second resistor, a shunt path for the winding of said polarized relay including said second resistor, and means controlled by normal and reverse polar contacts of said polarized relay for operating said switch to normal and reverse positions respectively.

2. In combination, a railway track switch, a polarized relay, a neutral relay, a traffic contact responsive to trafiic conditions and closed when said trafiic conditions are suitable for said switch to be moved from one of its extreme positions to the other, a normal and a reverse manually controllable contact, a normal and a reverse energizing circuit for said neutral relay controlled by said normal and reverse manually controllable contacts respectively and including said traffic contact and controlled by neutral and polar contacts of said polarized relay, a resistor, means comprising a shunt path including said resistor and said trafiic contact for at times rendering said neutral relay slow in releasing, normal and reverseenergizing circuits for said polarized relay controlled by said normal and reverse manually controllable contacts respectively and by said trafiic contact as well as by front contacts of said neutral relay, normal and reverse stick circuits for said polarized relay controlled by one of its own polar contacts in the normal and reverse position respectively and by back contacts of said neutral relay, and means controlled by polar contacts of said polarized relay in normal and reverse positions for operating said switch to normal and reverse positions respectively.

3. In combination, a railway track switch, a polarized relay, a neutral relay, manually controllable means, circuits controlled by neutral and polar contacts of said polarized relay and by said manually controllable means for energizing said neutral relay only under given trafiic conditions, a resistor, means including said resistor for at times rendering said neutral relay slow in releasing under said given trafiic conditions, normal and reverse energizing circuits for said polarized relay controlled by said normally controllable means and closed only when front contacts of said neutral relay are closed and only under said given traific conditions, normal and reverse stick circuits for said polarized relay'controlled by normal and reverse polar contacts respectively of said polarized relay and by back contacts of said neutral relay, and means controlled by normal and reverse polar contacts of said polarized relay for operating said switch to normal and reverse positions respectively.

4. In combination, a railway track switch, a. polarized relay, a neutral relay, manually controllable means, circuits controlled by said manually controllable means for energizing said neutral relay only under given trafiic conditions and controlled by said polarized relay to prevent storage of control, means comprising a shunt path for at times rendering said neutral relay slow in releasing under said given trafiic conditions,

normal and reverse energizing circuits for said polarized relay controlled by said manually controlled means and by front contacts of said neutral relay, normal and reverse stick circuits for said polarized relay controlled by normal and reverse polar contacts respectively of said polarized relay and by back contacts of said neutral relay, and means controlled by said polarized relay for operating said switch to normal and reverse positions respectively.

ARTHUR W. FISHER. 

